|
|
|
The Government of Japan has, upon the request of the Department of Education of the Ministry of Education and Sports of HMG/Nepal, recently approved the utilization of a counterpart fund amounting NRs.50,000,000 of the Non-Project Grant Aid extended to the Government of Nepal in JFY 2002.
As agreed between the Government of Japan and the Ministry of Education and Sports, the fund will be used to provide scholarships for about two hundred thousand dalit children of primary school level in 38 districts of the Kingdom, covering about 36 percent of the total dalit children identified by the poverty index as the poorest and most disadvantaged.
Japan started ODA (Official Development Assistance) to Nepal in the late 1960s, and the Government of Japan extended the first Non-Project Grant Aid amounting to 1.3 billion yen in 2002. Basically, Non-Project Grant Aid is used to assist developing countries that are facing economic difficulties due to spiraling debts and growing deficits in their international balance of payments. The Government of Nepal has to deposit the necessary amount, in Nepalese currency, in a bank as a counterpart-fund. The currency thus deposited is utilized for the purpose of development of sectors such as infrastructure, education and health as mutually agreed between the two governments. This aid is expected to have prompt, short-term effects.
The counterpart fund that is going to be utilized as scholarships will help access primary education, improve the completion of primary education and enhance the achievement of primary education by children of the dalit community of the target districts; to some extent contributing towards achieving the goals of the 'Education for All'. The Government of Japan further expects that the support will ultimately help reduce poverty in the targeted families of those districts.
Considering the aspirations of the people of Nepal, the Government of Japan has been responding to Nepal's requests to achieve sustainable socio-economic development for poverty alleviation. Additionally, Japan is contributing to the enhancement of peace building and human security in the Kingdom. The Government of Japan firmly believes that strengthening the democratization process under a system of democracy and a constitutional monarchy will help achieve sustainable peace and development in Nepal.
|
|
